[scootypootjr-deactivated2016032]

When your roomate is gone so you walk around naked because you can. ☺

[luciabelld]

You need to be gone for this? Sweetie you got the wrong roommate! #4thfloorrealtalk lol

[luciabelld]

#dadcat

[luciabelld]

Happy New Year + No recent updates

New Year Goals + Post Pregnancy update #bblogger #newyears #pregnancy

Bonjour loves~

Happy New Year to those who celebrate during this time! I know I have not posted any new content for a while, but I promise there was a good reason! Sassy & I get to start our new year with our little man Prickly Goo. I went into labor at 0530 on 21 Dec & we welcomed our little man at 1428 that afternoon. Between my own recovery & taking care of PG it has meant no updates to this.…

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[forgottenawesome]

Do You Love Someone With Depression?

If you have a partner or are close to someone who struggles with depression, you may not always know how to show them you love them. One day they may seem fine, and the next they are sad, distant and may push you away. It is important that you know that as a person who is close to them and trusted by them, you can help your friend or partner have shorter, less severe bouts of depression. Mental illness is as real as physical illness (it is physical actually, read more about that here) and your partner needs you as much as they would need to be cared for if they had the flu.

Your relationship may seem one-sided during these times, but by helping your partner through a very difficult and painful affliction, you are strengthening your relationship and their mental health in the long term.

1. Help them keep clutter at bay.

When a person begins spiraling into depression, they may feel like they are slowing down while the world around them speeds up. The mail may end up in stacks, dishes can pile up in the sink, laundry may go undone as the depressed person begins to feel more and more overwhelmed by their daily routine and unable to keep up. By giving your partner some extra help sorting mail, washing dishes or using paper plates and keeping chaos in check in general, you’ll be giving them (and yourself) the gift of a calm  environment. (I’m a fan of the minimalist movement because of this, you can read more about that here.)

2. Fix them a healthy meal.

Your partner may do one of two things when they are in a depressed state. They may eat very little, or they may overeat. In either case, they may find that driving through a fast food restaurant or ordering a pizza online is just easier than fixing a meal. Eating like this, or neglecting to eat will only degrade your partner’s health, causing them to go deeper into their depression. Help your loved one keep their body healthy, and their mind will follow. This is a great article that talks about the “Brain Diet” which can help the symptoms of depression, and this article talks about how our modern diet could contribute to the recent rise in depression. Here is a recipe for a trail mix that is quick to make and has mood-boosting properties.

3.Get them outside.

 The benefits of getting outside for a depressed person are huge. And it is possibly the last thing on earth your partner will want to do. Take them to be somewhere in nature. Pack a picnic and lie in the sun, take a leisurely hike or plant a garden. Being barefoot in the dirt, or “earthing” helps ground the body and reverse the effects of living in a world of emf’s, and digging in soil can actually act as an antidepressant, as a strain of bacterium in soil, Mycobacterium vaccae, triggers the release of seratonin, which in turn elevates mood and decreases anxiety. Sunshine increases Vitamin D production which can help alleviate depression. My friend Elizabeth wrote an excellent post about Vitamin D and its link to depression here.  For more information about other sources of Vitamin D, this is a great post as well as this.

4. Ask them to help you understand what they’re feeling.

If your partner is able to articulate what they are going through, it will help them and you better understand what you are dealing with, and may give insight into a plan of action for helping your partner. Also, feeling alone is common for a depressed person and anything that combats that feeling will help alleviate the severity and length of the depression.

5. Encourage them to focus on self-care.

Depressed people often stop taking care of themselves. Showering, getting haircuts, going to the doctor or dentist, it’s all just too hard, and they don’t deserve to be well taken care of anyway in their minds. This can snowball quickly into greater feelings of worthlessness since “Now I’m such a mess, no one could ever love me”. Help your loved one by being proactive. Tell them “I’m going to do the dishes, why don’t you go enjoy a bubble bath?” can give them the permission they won’t give themselves to do something normal, healthy and self-loving.

6. Hug them.

Studies show that a sincere hug that lasts longer than 20 seconds can release feel-good chemicals in the brain and elevate the mood of the giver and receiver. Depressed people often don’t want to be touched, but a sincere hug with no expectation of anything further can give your partner a lift.

7. Laugh with them.

Telling a silly joke, watching a comedy or seeing a stand up comedian will encourage your partner to laugh in spite of themselves. Laughing releases endorphins and studies show can actually counteract symptoms of depression and anxiety.

8. Reassure them that you can handle their feelings.

Your partner may be feeling worthless, angry and even guilty while they are depressed. They may be afraid that they will end up alone because no one will put up with their episodes forever. Reassure them that you are in the relationship for the long haul and they won’t scare you away because they have an illness.

9. Challenge their destructive thoughts.

A depressed person’s mind can be a never-ending loop of painful, destructive thoughts. “I’m unlovable, I’m a failure, I’m ugly, I’m stupid”. Challenge these untruths with the truth. “You’re not unlovable, I love you. You aren’t a failure, here are all the things you’ve accomplished.”

10.Remind them why you love them.

Look at pictures of happy times you’ve had together. Tell them your favorite things about them. Reminisce about your relationship and all the positive things that have happened, and remind your partner that you love them and they will get through this.

(via The Darling Bakers)

[unrecognizedpotential]

More people need to know this.

[spicymayonegg]

This is so incredibly important. I’ve seen people with depression ostracized so many times, and I cannot stress how much it means to each and every person I’ve tried to reach out to after whatever “falling-outs” they’ve had due to depression. Remember to always be compassionate and kind to all friends like this, because you never know what they’re going through.

[misandry-mermaid]

Along with these great tips, here few extra things NOT to do:

Don’t tell them to just try to think positively.  This is NOT helpful because depression is a mental illness, not just a negative outlook or a choice.

Don’t wait for them to reach out to you.  Reaching out can feel impossibly daunting for someone with depression, even if they want company badly, so try to initiate time together as much as possible.

Don’t diminish their experiences or feelings with stuff like “Everyone has bad days” or “I used to feel like you but I got through it”.  These might be intended to help but they don’t.

Don’t make jokes about suicide or self harm around your friend, as they may be struggling with those things and feel unsupported by those around them.

Don’t go too long without checking in.  Expressing feelings can be hard when depressed, so initiate conversations by asking them how they’re doing and making yourself available as a listening ear.  Don’t assume that they are okay just because they haven’t told you that they’re struggling.

[luciabelld]

#dadcat watching over our #babyboy Oliver. #catsoftwitter #catsoftumblr #catsofinstagram #lovethem

[luciabelld]

This is what perfection is. Love our little man so much! We could not ask for a better yule gift. #baby #babyboy #littleman #Yule #christmas

[luciabelld]

We welcomed out 8.1lb 21 inch long Son into the world today. It is the best #Yule gift we could get. #babyboy #baby

[luciabelld]

He keeps himself entertained. Loves his mice. #catsofinstagram #catsoftwitter #catsoftumblr #cats #familiar

[luciabelld]

Bonjour Loves~

This week I got to experience my first ever makeup event/soiree. Lucky for me it was at our local Chanel counter! Now I have been using Chanel’s makeup for approximately 7 years now. I was first introduced into the world of Chanel Makeup through their eyeshadow quads. It has been so long now that I do not remember which two quads I even had, I think Smokey Eyes was one of them, or at least it was VERY similar. Needless to say, it was so much fun!

The event started with wine, cheese, crackers, & strawberries (minus the wine for my 9 month pregnant self!). I got there early so I was able to enjoy my snacks, drink my water, & chat with some of the artist there who were waiting for their appointments. What was even better is two of them were 4 to 5 months pregnant, so we enjoyed swapping baby talk & hearing about each other’s pregnancies. Once everyone got there, a wonderful woman who has been doing makeup artistry for 6 years, Amanda, did my makeup.

This was exciting for me, this was not just a matching, but a full blown makeover with instructions & tips on how to recreate my look at home. I was given a handy profile sheet with all the products written down, a visual on the things that I mentioned I had a difficult time with (I seriously struggle with my eyes and creating a more evening look.) Amanda walked me through her application method so I honestly felt like I had a good understanding of how to work with my eye shape.

Not only was she very informative & helpful, but she was also very friendly. I would definitely go back to that Chanel counter to purchase products or get recommendations. She was not a pushy sales person & created a shopping card of the products I did buy so if I needed to restock, & could not remember the products, they have them on file. Not to mention all of the artists were exciting & treated me like a friend they were shopping with, not trying to sell too.

Of course I did end up purchasing myself some goodies in addition to the 7 piece gift box I received just for attending!

Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Color in 16 Taffetas Rose

Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow in 89 Vision

Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Color in 145 Rayonnante

Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow in 43 Mystere

Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner in 70 Black Shimmer

The Eyeshadow Quad & the eyeliner were used in my look pictured above. I have been very interested in trying the creme eyeshadows, as I have heard nothing but amazing things about them. I have used Chanel’s Allure lip color & gloss when I was in Japan & fell in love with their formula, so getting another tube of the Allure color was absolutely a must for me. I really wanted more of the plum/berry colors for this time of year so I ended up getting a lip color from Rouge Coco which I have not tried.

Of course I also got the 7 piece free gift set! This was a very nice treat, since it came with skincare products! I have tried Chanel’s toner & one of their face creams when I lived in Alaska. They were very luxurious, so I am curious to see how these stack up in the southern weather. This came with the following:

Le Lift – Anti-wrinkle/firming creme

Hydra Beauty creme – Hydration, protection, & radiance creme

Mousse Douceur – Rinse off foaming mousse cleanser Balancing + anti-pollution

Lait Confort – Creamy cleaning milk Comfort + anti-polluion face & eyes

Démaquillant Yeux Intense – Gentle Biphase eye makeup remover

No 5 perfume sample bottle

Coco Mademoiselle sample bottle

As I said, I am excited to give Chanel’s skin care a test again as I was impressed with it while I lived in Alaska.

I will be writing reviews for each of the products listed here as I continue to use them & try new looks with them. I am very excited to run these products through some hard testing!

If any of you ever get the chance to participate in an event like this, from any company, I would highly recommend it. It was extremely fun, enjoyable, & I wish I had been able to do it sooner!

What companies would you like to participate in a holiday party with?

XoXoX, Duchess

  Chanel Holiday Soiree Bonjour Loves~ This week I got to experience my first ever makeup event/soiree. Lucky for me it was at our local Chanel counter!

[luciabelld]

Bonjour Loves~

I know this post is a little late, as it is past the first week of December already, but I still wanted to get my November favorites up! Sassy & I decided to celebrate Yule early this year due to our son’s expected delivery date being around Yule/Christmas (officially it is 25 Dec). Should he come earlier we figured we would have our hands full with him, and if he is on time, well then we will be at the hospital instead of at our tree! So we decided to celebrate Yule & giftgiving in November so we had the last month of my pregnancy to prepare. For November favorites I have a little from makeup, skincare, & tools this month, so let us get started with makeup!

Lorac Pro Mascara – I keep trying to find my boudoir essential mascara. I was really drawn to the brush shape of this mascara. I really like big, bushy, brush heads. I have very long, thick lashes, so big brush heads help me get some very dramatic vamp to my lashes. I really like how natrual feeling this formula is after I have applied it, & it does not clump or flake. I do not feel it gives me thicker, fuller lashes…but all the same I do like the how this feels. Even though it is not waterproof, it does run at the drop of a hat. Even when it does run, it is not this huge black racoon mess & I have to seriously be squishing my eyes (I watched a couple tear jerker movies lately & this held up during those!)

Lorac Alter Ego Lipstick in Goddess – I have absolutely loved the Alter Ego lipstick formula. These lipsticks have some serious staying power, lasting through my entire work day, as well as not drying out my lips; impressive since this is a matte formula! I have especially been loving the mauve/purple shade of Goddess lately. Not to mention, they taste & smell divine!

Chanel Perfection Lumiere foundation in Biege Rose – I struggle with foundations. I have really been loving this foundation this month. It matches fairly well, is buildable, & requires blotting or touch up with powder by the end of a 10 hour work day. It also has not broken me out. I find that it is light to medium coverage, which is acceptable, as the only part that is not prestine is the redness on my nose even after concealer. This too also smells absolutely wonderful.

Fresh Sugar Lip Serum Advance Therapy – This little wonder REALLY surprised me. I am VERY skeptical of lip balms & treatments as they usually make lip difficulties worse than they already are. While I am not crazy about the taste, the way it works on my lips make it beyond worth it. It makes my lips look a little more full around the thinner edges & fills in the fine lines making my lips look silky smooth & plump. After prolonged used my lips have actually been softer with less flaking. I will defintely be getting the full size bottle of this once I run out of the delux sample. A little goes a very long way, even on my very full lips, so it is well worth the money.

Fresh Sugar Advanced Therapy Lip Treatment – This I use at night after the lip serum advance therapy. This gives my lips an extra layer of protection from losing moisture at night without replacing so much moisture that my skin stops allocating moisture to my lip area. My lips are just as soft as if I had been putting olive oil & vasaline on them, but taste significantly better! I will definitely be getting the full size bottle of this once I run out of my delux sample.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment – So far I have loved all the lip treatments I have tried from the Sugar line. I tend to stick to this one as I use this after hte lip serum in the mornings under my lipstick. It gives me an extra boost to counter my matte lipsticks without being too heavy or causing my matte lip to slide.

Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment – I was not expecting to get a thrill out of this little number when it came in my gift box, but I was quite surprised. Using the lip serum, treatment, & topping hte look with this shine really made my lips look plump, soft, silky, & shiney…like a REALLY good lip gloss that lasted longer without being tacky feeling. I actually started wearing this little trio by itself I liked it so much!

Skincare wise I went off the recommendation of Melodee Morita, who uses the Rhoto Hadalabo Gokujyn Hyluronic Acid Cleansing Foam in a pinch. I liked the foam but I felt I was going through it too quickly, but the Rhoto line in general really impressed me. I ended up switching to:

Rhoto Hadalabo Hyaluronan face wash – this is basically the cream to foam formula of the foaming wash, & when used with the foaming net, a little will net you A LOT of bubbles! I really love this face wash. It does not leave my skin feeling stripped, yet it still feels clean & has not irritated my skin. At 3.5 oz for 15.00$ on amazon, it may seem steep, but I am going through this product REALLY slowly.

Rhoto Hadalabo Hyaluronic Acid cream – Like foundations, I struggle with face moisturizers. Either they are too heavy, too light, break me out, leave me greasy…you name it, it happens. This little jar is a blessing. A little will cover my whole face and last all day without leaving me dry, flakey, oily, or broke out. This is by far the best moisturizer I have every used. Not to mention it is almost 2 oz for 19.00$ on amazon!

Ishihara Awa foaming net – This little number was also a recommendation from Melodee, & let me tell you I will be buying a few of these little 8$ wonders from amazon! A little pea sized, or a little more than a pea size, with some water on this will give you the BEST lather. It works better than any other method I have used, including my clarisonic or my own hands. This has really given my product longevity.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel – Hailed as the “best exfoliator in Japan”, again this was recommended by Melodee, & I must say it is the best exfoliator I have used. One or two pumps will completely cover my face & neck. I will put this on my face & let it sit for about 30 seconds before working it into my skin. It will “bead up” & gently pulls away any dead skin & build up without stripping, irritating, or drying my skin out. I use this every other day, just because it works so well, that I do not have any sort of build up in between uses. I can actually go 2 to 3 days, but I find that having fresh exfoliated skin helps my moisurizer obsorb better so I use less product that way too!

 For Yule, Sassy spoiled me with some new makeup brushes from the IT! Cosmetics company. I am a brush junkie, but with my job & moving I only had a handfull of “good” eye brushes ^ one face brush. When I went home in September I was able to grab my other “good” brushes, but after being boxed for a few years…the only one I could find was a NARS blush/face brush. I spot clean my brushes daily & wash them once a week. These brushes have held up MIRACULOUSLY without shedding or falling apart, not to mention their ability to perform.

Velvet Luxe 324 Empress Fan - The moment I saw this brush I knew I had to have it. I love huge fan brushes & this helps blur & blend out my finished look without making my makeup look muddled. It is so soft but dense. I absolutely love it.

Airbrush 106 OMG! Foundation - This has to be the best foundation brush I have ever used. I love the shape, & it is more thick than a traditional foundation brush…almost like a mix between a liquid & creme foundation brush. It does not really leave any streak marks & works great with any liquid consistancy foundation & creme. A must get! I prefer this over my beauty blender now.

Airbrush 105 Blending Crease - This has been my go to blending brush, it really softens lines without ruining my eyeshadow. This is just as good as my Chantacaille crease blending brush.

Velvet Luxe 320 Effortless Crease – This brush is wonderful for layering instead of blending I find. It fits perfectly into my crease, which says a lot since I have very hooded & small eyelids. It packs in color without being messy or all over the place on my face.

Elf Cosmetics Essential Crease -  This is a wonder for 1.00$. It is super soft, medium density (not as dense as the 320 but not as fluffy, big, or flexible as the 105 above), brush that picks up color well with precise application. I actually have a few of these just for layering & building eye looks, since they are small enough to be able to do cut creases & outter corner outlines without overwhelming my face. A must get if you need brushes in a pinch, or you are just learning. I have also noticed they are very durable.

Of course, I am still on my tea in a wine glass kick, I just forgot to put my glass in the picture! Keeping hydrated is important right now with 2 weeks left to go before prickly goo gets here!

What have been your November favorites? Have you tried any of these products? If you have what are your thoughts?

XoXoX, Duchess

November Favorites 2014 Bonjour Loves~ I know this post is a little late, as it is past the first week of December already, but I still wanted to get my November favorites up!

[luciabelld]

Bonjour loves~

Over the last week or so, with sales & holiday parties, it was shopping time! I was pretty excited that some of the items I had wanted from Tarte were on sale for black Friday, so I snatched those up in a heart beat! Plus I went to the Chanel Holiday Soiree (which I will be doing a separate blogpost on) at our local Belk and picked up some amazing goodies after having a complete makeover done, & got a free 7 piece skincare/perfume gift set. Needless to say, it has been an good week for me in the makeup world.

Without Flash

With Flash

Tarte MATTEnificent palette & cream eyeshadows

Lately I have been loving matte colors & formulas. I do not mind shimmer or dazzle, but for work I feel like mattes just work better & give me more room to play with color & looks. I also have been impatient to try cream eyeshadows, as I have heard nothing but good things about these! I picked up the following from Tarte:

Amazonian Clay Waterproof Cream Eyeshadow 0.10 oz – 19.00$ (on sale for 11.00$)

Plum Smoke

Shimmering Bronze

Shimmering Moss

Seashell Pink

Be MATTEnificent Colored Clay Eye & Cheek Palette 36.00$

12 Hour Amazonian Clay blush in Elevated

6 Matte Eyeshadows (from top left across)

Sand Out from the Crowd (base)

Peach for the Stars (Lid)

Two Plums Up (outter corner)

Pink Outside the Box (Lid)

Rose to the Occasion (crease)

View from the Taupe (crease)

2 Eyeliners

Dream in Chocolate

Dont’ stand black

Included with my purchase was a free sample of an Amazonian Clay 12 hour blush as well.

Unwrapped gift

Yesterday (03 Dec) I went to the Chanel Holiday Soiree where I was able to talk with my amazing artist Amanda, as well as a makeover, makeup lesson, free gifts, & of course some shopping! Of course I want to save the details for my Soiree post, but I did walk away with the following:

Illusion D’Ombre Long Wear Luminous Eyeshadow

Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour

Rouge Allure Luminous Intense Lip Colour

Les 4 Ombres Quadra Eyeshadow

Stylo Yeux Waterproof Long Lasting Eyeliner

7 piece gift box with 5 skincare deluxe samples & 2 small perfume samples

As I said, I will be doing a First Look/Holiday Soiree post in the future so stay tuned for that! I cannot wait to share with you about it!

What has been on your holiday “spoil me” list!?

XoXoX, Duchess

Holiday makeup Haul Bonjour loves~ Over the last week or so, with sales & holiday parties, it was shopping time!

[luciabelld]

Happy Thanksgiving + Update

Bonjour Loves,

I hope you are all having a wonderful Thanksgiving! Sassy and I are having a quiet night at home with some pasta. With just the two of us and the two cats, we settled on a very cozy night at home just relaxing and recouping from the craziness of the last couple weeks. Which brings me to the update, or the reason for the lack of updates!

With our son due in 4 weeks (or less!) I…

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[luciabelld]

It's hard to be ill in this home with two dotting furballs to love you. #catsoftwitter #catsofinstagram #catsoftumblr #familiar #cats #preggo

[luciabelld]

Turning a favorite shopping bag into a makeup brush holder 💖💖💖 #diy #makeup #beauty #chanel #organize

[luciabelld]

@illamasqua @loraccosmetics casual date day

[luciabelld]

Why I am over Beauty Boxes

To beauty box or not to? A look at the beauty box trend & why it may not be worth your time. #beauty #bbloggers #bbloggerschat

Glossybox.com

Bonjour Loves,

Lately, beauty boxes have been the talk of the town. Like many, many other women before me, I too have tried a few beauty boxes:

Ipsy 10.00$ Monthly

Brand selection is poor

Cannot really see what brand the company uses from their webpage

Not products I would normally use

Birchbox 10.00$

Brand selection is VERY similar to Glossybox, with a few “lower end” brands”

Coul…

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[luciabelld]

Bonjour Loves~

I have mentioned it before, I love fall. I love fall fashion. It is the warm over sized sweaters & boots season. That happy time where I am neither FREEZING or ROASTING. It is….my fashion heaven. This year is a mix of love & hate on a few levels. I had to pack up my old sweaters, get rid of some, & throw my favorite jeans into the closet as I am WAY to pregnant to wear ANY of my winter / fall clothes (& with a month to go I am not buying any). At the same time, I am quite happy that I will be having our son soon. It has also given me the opportunity to really look at this year’s trends. Love them or hate them, they are in this year. These are my picks that leave me going WHY!?

Boot socks

Maybe I am I bias, but this trend seriously bugs me. I think it looks SO tacky & makes an outfit look very frumpy. In addition to this, I have to wear boots & boot socks for work. I get it, you probably need socks with boots, but you defintely do not need knee high or higher socks,especially with boots THAT loose. The entire thing just looks ill fitted & I feel is trying to make too many statements.

Here is another example of just how tacky I think socks look with boots. This reminds me of the early 90′s (when raunched socks were all the rage). It makes the feet look cluttered & chunky compared to the legs. It leaves them feeling really blocky in my opinion.

This entire trend is just for show. There is no practical application for it except to look “cute” which I honestly do not think it is.

There are a few things going on with these that I am not loving at all.

Knee high socks with shorts/skirts

I am sorry, but this just screams “I never grew up” to me. It is way to “school girl” & “child” feeling to me to be attractive on older women.

It blocks off the legs & body making the over all appearance look choppy & can make the legs & body look shorter than they are.

This is the same thing that happens when wearing flesh or white stockings with a black/dark skirt & shoes.

Casual jackets with dresses/skirts

Again, this just is bad mixing of tops. The last picture, the jacket REALLY makes the entire outfit look frumpy, where a nicely cut non quilted jacket without the zippering details would have brought it together to be very soft & elegant in my opinion.

The sweaters of the other two look much nicer in my opinion

Chunky infinity scarves

I love my scarves. They are probably my favorite fall piece, they can really make an outfit look classic & beautiful…or completely frumpy. The last two scarves really destroy the look for these ladies for me

The first, the scarf is compeltely devouring her torso. It detracts from the look instead of brining it together. There are much better ways to tie this scarf to enhance the outfit instead of hiding it.

The second, paired with the jacket, is again hiding the outfit & is really trying to hard to be both casual & not casual. She looks SWAMPED in that scarf. There should be a balance between the peices you wear. Her torso looks over loaded between the jacket & scarf

What are you loving or hating this season? Why?

XoXoX, Duchess Lu

    Fall fashion trends Love it or hate it? Bonjour Loves~ I have mentioned it before, I love fall. I love fall fashion. It is the warm over sized sweaters & boots season.